1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photovoltaic cell structures and more particularly pertains to a modular solar cell contact arrangement for permitting a plurality of solar cells to be electrically interconnected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of photovoltaic cell structures is known in the prior art. More specifically, photovoltaic cell structures heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art photovoltaic cell structures include U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,596; U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,141; U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,258; U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,042; U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,369; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,808.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a modular solar cell contact arrangement for permitting a plurality of solar cells to be electrically interconnected which includes a solar cell having orthogonally oriented outer peripheral edges and oblique angled corner edges, a plurality of negative contacts secured to a top surface of the cell proximal to the angled corner edges, a pair of positive contacts secured to the top surface of the cell proximal to an adjacent pair of angled corner edges and extending at least partially around a respective pair of negative contacts, and an elongated positive buss bar extending between the pair of positive contacts and along the top surface of the cell proximal to one of the outer peripheral edges, wherein the negative contacts wrap around the respective angled corner edges and on to the top surface of the cell to permit for ease of electrically interconnecting a plurality of cells together.
In these respects, the modular solar cell contact arrangement according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting a plurality of solar cells to be electrically interconnected together.